3 Talking Points: Professional Game Partnership Announced as Steve Borthwick Gets 'Final Say' on 25 England Players

There was plenty of excitement around the newly re-christened Allianz Stadium today in Twickenham, as the heads of the organisations got together to reveal the agreed partnership to the media. Present at the event was RFU CEO Billy Sweeney and Executive Director of Performance Rugby Conor O'Shea, Premiership Rugby CEO Simon Massie-Taylor and Rugby Director Phil Winstanley as well as RPA General Secretary Christian Day.

The quintet of sporting directors all discussed the plans in place for their respective organisations, and explained how the players, league and national team will all be working together with greater synergy going forward.

One of the major discussion points following the announcement of the PGP, was the confirmation that England head coach Steve Borthwick will be allocating up to 25 Enhanced England Player Squad contracts. These contracts have no positional limit, and Borthwick will have the final say over medical and fitness issues regarding these contracted players.

There is also an additional 50 England Player Squad (EPS) contracts set to be issued out, and the PGP confirmed that even if a player is not contracted to either an Enhanced EPS or an EPS contract, they can play for England if called upon. Also, there will contracts available to the prospering development players in the England pathway system.

However, the Directors of Rugby for the Premiership clubs have the final say on the 50 EPS players or those without any specialised contracts, regarding any fitness or medical issues.

PHIL WINSTANLEY: "There are 50 (contracts) in the senior EPS squad. There's 50 in the Under 20 EPS squad and up to 25 will be enhanced. What Steve (Borthwick) and all the clubs are doing at the moment, there's an indication of when selection is confirmed in October, but they are probably going outside of that 50 at the moment in discussions.

"In terms of Steve, it will be final say on selection, on medical and conditioning on 25 enhanced (contracts). He isn't going to pick 25 this year. He wants people to really aim and want to be in that group."

Whilst on paper the decision to allocate 25 Enhanced EPS and 50 EPS contracts will ensure that both the England team and the Premiership clubs needs are met, there will inevitably be some differences of agenda regarding whether a player should be playing for their club or country, or rested entirely.

BILL SWEENEY: "For the enhanced EPS players, the 25 (contracts), Steve has an oversight and say on anything to do with S&C (strength and conditioning), individual development programmes and he’ll work with the clubs to develop that. There will obviously be occasions where there is a disagreement or an inability to come to a final conclusion, but that’s the whole purpose of the men’s professional rugby board and an independent chair, so we’ll take those discussions there and resolve them internally."

PHIL WINSTANLEY: "Very simply speaking, Steve will have final say on S&C (strength and conditioning) and medical issues for those players in the enhanced EPS. Director of Rugby (of Premiership clubs) will have final say on selection of those players and on S&C, selection and medical for the non-EPS.

"The question that we spent the most time on was ‘how do we ensure that the decision you’re making is reasonable?' And that’s where the PRB will come in and monitor that. It won’t necessarily – it could – make a recommendation to change a decision, it won’t necessarily override that, it will just ensure that a decision that is made is a reasonable decision."

"If we are going into hypothetical situations, if we are going into a Six Nations and the week before Steve says he’s not fit enough and shouldn’t play, that really isn’t an S&C decision at that point in time as he’s not going to change his fitness in a week. So the selection will be the (Premiership) Director of Rugby’s."

A matter aside from the contracts, was Bill Sweeney's comments on the shock departures of two of the England Rugby back-room staff. Last month, the England players and board were stunned by the unexpected exit of Head of Strength and Conditioning Aled Walters and Defence Coach Felix Jones.

Whilst Walters has confirmed his future within Andy Farrell's Ireland set-up, the verdict is unclear as to where Jones will end up next. Negotiations are reportedly still ongoing with the Irishman, yet Sweeney was still disappointed with his exit. Despite the two figures quitting the England staff, Sweeney expressed how the RFU still give Steve Borthwick the full vote of confidence to continue his role as head coach.

BILLY SWEENEY: "We’ll replace Aled. There will be someone else coming in on S&C for the England team. Aled wasn’t part of the consideration of thinking around the enhanced EPS. We’re obviously very disappointed (at Jones leaving). A lot of you were down in New Zealand and we’ve seen some good momentum and progression in terms of how the England team has been playing under Steve as head coach.

"We’ve got a really nice blend between experience and young players coming in. There is huge excitement around the squad about how the team played at the back end of the Six Nations and in the summer. New Zealand was really encouraging. We’ve got the autumn coming up so for that to happen was massively disappointing. It came out of the blue. It was totally unexpected.

"What I can say though is that Steve has absolute 100 per cent support from us – from me personally and of the RFU. I can also say categorically he has the full support 100 per cent of the squad. If you talk to the players, they were quite keen to deliver a message that they’ve got a really enjoyable camp.

"They seem to genuinely enjoy being in camp and they want to ensure we’ve got coaches coming in who are passionate about our journey, will buy into this new structure, and are committed to working for England. It was disappointing but these things happen. We’re now focused on moving forward."